A new festive event, afternoon teas and a Taste of Portugal at Teles Patisserie.

Just months after opening their own dream café (Teles Patisserie) at Yare Valley Farm in Surlingham, Joaquim and Ana Teles say they couldn’t be happier.

Business is booming, and customers are loving Joaquim’s Portuguese specialities and French patisserie, Ana says.

Opening the café was a huge leap of faith for the couple, who had been working hard on the farmers’ market and events circle in Norfolk. No longer able to attend markets as they focus on growing their business Ana says they decided to “bring the market to us”, and in two weeks’ time they will host their Spirit of Christmas fair, alongside Yare Valley oils.

“They’ve been great with us,” Joaquim and Ana say of Yare Valley. “Tim Mack has given us so much help and Joaquim is using their beef in his very popular sweet sausage rolls, and is working on a gateau made with their oil.”

Pastries and food at Teles Patisserie Picture: Teles Patisserie

Teles Patisserie will be doing all the catering at the Spirit of Christmas event on November 18, with 12 local stallholders attending selling everything from handmade crafts to flowers and wreaths – plenty to put you in the Christmas mood.

This is one of many events planned at the café – the other most recent being the Taste of Portugal day, which was so popular in October that Joaquim and Ana are bringing it back once a month – the next this week on November 10.

“We do what we think is a perfect taste of Portugal,” says Ana. “The last one was brilliant. We have a traditional music in Portugal called Fado and we have that playing in the background, with plans to have it live next year. People really enjoy that.”

“We start the meal with a platter of Portuguese bread and then Portuguese cheeses, grilled Portuguese chorizo with olives and more bread, then Portuguese soup and a chocolate mousse, so it’s five courses, and we have a licence for the day, so we’ll have Portuguese wines and Porto too.”

Bookings are being taken now for Taste of Portugal, and also for afternoon teas, which Ana says are a bit different. “Once people try them they love them because they are different to other afternoon teas. We serve everything in courses. It begins with Earl Grey Blue Lady tea, then comes the French baguette with salmon and Portuguese chorizo. Next are the cakes, starting with pasteis de nata served with cream. Then it’s pain aux raisin and pain au chocolate. Next is eclairs and profiteroles and then almond cakes. Even the crockery and tablecloths are special for the tea. People are really loving it. We are so happy here!”